Subject: UMASK 002 or 022?

I'd like to know why giving the world (Other) read access is even under
consideration. If user wants a file to have Other readability this
should be on the user to set it, but it should not be the default.

What is the justification that every user be able to read everyone
else's documents?

This discussion should be on whether to set a default UMASK of 077 or
027.

NOTE: this discussion is moot at the present time anyway because it is
impossible to set a UMASK at all on Debian Stretch. None of the usual
ways work within gnome on Debian Stretch. Can anyone comment on this
fact?